


Us Against The World

by sempiternalbreakdawn



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M, Sports
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-11
Updated: 2017-01-26
Packaged: 2018-08-08 01:47:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7738729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sempiternalbreakdawn/pseuds/sempiternalbreakdawn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It has been over 6 months since they knew each other from the same club, but they are confused about what their heart really calls out to them. Keith and Lance get competitive over the final relay race, and they decided to take the stakes higher by making a bet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Bet On It

**Author's Note:**

> The fact that I love Klance so much seems to be the reason why I chose to do something for Klance week.  
> With the prompts blue/red, I did a sports day kind of au, and considering how it’s my first time doing such a different genre I’m unsure whether this fic is well executed. But I figured it’ll be cute to see Klance compete in different teams in a sports event (ie. lots of tension etc). 
> 
> Ps: Do bear with me as I might/will be pretty slow in updating the other stories for Klance Week. 
> 
> Of course, comments are most welcome!

 

The crowd of college students, as always, grew tense and excited as they await for the main highlight of the event to begin: The final 400m relay race. This race has always been the most anticipated category of the entire sports day, not only because the winner of Sports Day would earn the title “Best House”, but it was more of a battle of pride for the Houses as well. 

Everybody knew for a fact, that this relay was down between two of the most strongest House out of the entire school- The Blue Wolves and The Red Lions. The Blue Wolves, known for their calm and strategic thinking, making use of their surroundings to their favour. And The Red Lions, well-known for their agility, quick wits and the burning passion to keep moving forward. 

For the past 6 years, it has always been a battle between these two Houses, each earning 3 wins and 3 losses.

This would be the year to settle the score.

“And now, we have an interesting line up of the Blue Wolves and Red Lions this year,” announcer Hunk eagerly announced through the microphone.

“If we look closely at the billboard, ladies and gentlemen, we’ll get a chance to see the most heated competition in centuries! Captains of their own team, not to mention rivals, Keith Kogane of the Red Lions and Lance Mcclain of the Blue Wolves are both positioned as the anchor leg of the relay! Boy this will be one hell of a competition. Let’s give them a big round of applause everybody!”

The stadium shook with deafening cheers and screams from the crowd. Each of the teams roaring as they held up their banners and whistles, cheering for their captains as they walked towards the start marshal. The girls from every House screeched loudly, not caring if they were enemies or not; it is after all, the infamous captains of the entire student body.

“Hunk needs to stop throwing us into the spotlight.” Keith grumbled under his breath as he stretched.

“What’s wrong Keith? Scared that you’re gonna lose again?” Lance crept up next to him with a smug grin on his face. “You know, it’s not like every year everyone gets to witness athletic, smart and good-looking captains competing as anchors, like myself,” he continued whist waving cooly to the audience before stretching his shoulders.

Keith squinted his eyes at the loud screech and chants of Lance’s name from the deafening fangirls. He stared at Lance, and deliberately rolled his eyes, hoping everyone could see how annoyed he was.

As Keith raised his heels to his butt, his eyes unknowingly travelled to Lance’s back. It was one of those rare occasions where Lance would be seen in a sleeveless loose top, exposing his small yet defined muscles around his back and arms. What caught Keith off guard, though, was his legs; those legs in shorts that only reached his upper thigh, revealing the tights he wore underneath. Keith was surprised at how strong and refined his calves they looked. _Has it always been like that? What happened to the usual track pants and baggy shirts during Track and Field practices?_

As Lance turned around, Keith quickly shook his thoughts away and focused on carrying on his stretches, avoiding eye contact.

Lance smirked as he approached Keith, “So Keith, are you ready to get your ass kicked?”

Keith chuckled sarcastically. “Me? pfft looks like someone can’t wait to lose.”

Lance scoffed and moved towards him, glaring into Keith eyes.

“Look who’s talking hot shot, you may be fast but you better watch your back because someone might just grab it right in front of your eyes,” poking Keith’s chest with his finger.

Keith rolled his eyes _again_ , flinging away Lance’s hand as he ran a hand across his hair before tying his hair up in a ponytail. He then placed a hand on his hips, raising an eyebrow.

“And what makes you think you would win?”

It was weird, Lance wondered. This wasn’t the first time Keith had his hair tied up in a tiny ponytail. In fact, he has seen that plenty of times during Track and Fields practice, although they were in different categories. Honestly, it wasn’t difficult for him to sneak a few peaks at Keith as he ran around the field during practices. Lance has always found that sporty side of Keith attractive, hot even. He could never shake off those moments when Lance would unintentionally stare at how Keith’s built and muscular arms flexed as he re-tied his hair.

Lance could feel his cheeks turning red, his heartbeat getting faster. _Stop blushing, dammit._ He didn’t realise though, that he started dazing off into his own world of thoughts.

It didn’t take long for Keith to disrupt his thoughts.

“Oh wow someone looks distracted. Why? Afraid of losing your precious fans huh, Lance?” A sly smile crept up on his face as he unzipped his jacket and tossed it onto the ground. He was wearing a black fitted sleeved top, clearly revealing his lean chest and toned biceps.

If there was one word that came up into Lance’s mind, it would be screwed. He totally wasn’t expecting that. _Was it what he said? Or that stripping moment? Or both?_

Right then, he felt an overwhelming rush of emotion- frustration, excitement, nervousness, turned on. And in an attempt to hide his heated flushness, he grabbed Keith’s shirt, dragging his body to his own. By doing that, Lance silently hoped that Keith wouldn’t be able to feel his rapid heartbeat.

“You sure got guts to say that, Keith. Now I really can’t wait to claim my victory.” Lance remarked, his voice low and taut.

“That’s my line.” Keith scowled. “I can’t wait to see your defeated face once I cross that finishing line first,” he taunted further.

“Is that a threat?” Lance mocked.

“Maybe it is.”

“Care to make a bet then?”

“Try me.”

“Loser complies to whatever the winner requests?”

“Fine by me. I’ll have to start thinking of a wish then.”

Their bodies, now so near to each other, faces only a few inches apart, although Keith is a tad bit shorter than Lance. Their eyes were slit, glaring into each others’ orbs. It didn’t take them less than 3 seconds to start mocking each other again.

“Snob”

“Stupid”

“Ugly”

“Player”

“Douchebag”

“Asshole”

There was heated tension coming out of the two. Before their petty argument could go any further, the announcer called forth the competitors to be on stand-by.

Lance loosened his grip on Keith’s collar as they backed away from each other. They stood in front of each other, still. It was as if the Earth stood still, clouds still drifting past the sky, wind calmer than usual.

They simultaneously drew their right hand for a handshake, and shook their hands, a confident smile slowly crept upon each others’ faces.

“May the best man win.”

 

 

-

Lance was silently grateful for that one fateful day where they first met half a year ago during their first practice in the Track and Field club. It was out of friendliness that made Lance approach Keith who was sitting alone on the bench during their break. Ever since then, their friendship progressed from being club mates, to accomplices, and to friendly rivals. It was a pity, though, that they’re specialised in different categories, Keith in long distance while he himself in high jump.

_“On your mark”_

However, he was thankful of those small breaks in between practice where they could spend time either chatting or throwing useless insults at one another. It happened so very often that the club members gave up trying to hold them off. Despite their never-ending arguments, Lance has always enjoyed being around Keith. Lance first thought Keith was a mysterious and an overly-serious person; someone he would never have figured they could get along well with each other. The more he got to know Keith, the more Lance realised how clumsy and a simpleton he actually was. But today was different, _he_ was different. He wasn’t that awkward, clumsy, dumb boy he knew; but daring and confident. Lance found that charming. He took a quick glance at the black headed ponytail and a small smile was etched on his face. _I will win that bet._

_“Bang!”_

Keith was amazed at Lance’s fearlessness towards him. He thought back at how Lance boldly gripped his shirt, pulling him close to his; Keith has never seen that side of Lance before, yet he found it very attractive. It might probably be because Keith has never provoked Lance like that, nor was it ever his intention to go that far. Keith was usually annoyed at Lance’s egoism and that booming confidence he displayed, yet he was mostly attracted at how fit he looked, especially with that blue headband around his head. He looked exceptionally cute, Keith figured.

_And the first baton was passed on._

However, he didn’t know why he was feeling edgy and overwhelmed at that moment. Well, he knew that Lance has always been popular to begin with, not to mention amongst the girls in school. It was obvious enough for Keith to observe the same number of girls standing by the fence after school just to watch Lance practice his high jump. Keith used to shrug it off, and using it to tease Lance every week after practice; these past few weeks, however, he felt weird, different in fact. Keith also secretly enjoyed those moments where Lance would come over to him during breaks. Although Lance usually did most of the talking, Keith didn’t mind listening to his ramblings one bit. He has never felt this comfortable with anyone before. He knew that from the very first day they met, how much of an outspoken and talkative person Lance would be, sometimes asking the stupidest questions which made Keith roll his eyes most of the time. But there was this other side of Lance; that caring, patient person he has grown to love. Their friendship is more than just a friendly rival. He sneaked a glance at the brownette and smiled. _I’ll win that bet._

_And the second baton was passed on._

It was indeed the desire to know each other more, to learn and accept their strengths and flaws.

Now, standing at their respective lanes, side by side, they stood in a stance position. They stared at their teammate who were running closer towards them. They felt the adrenaline pumping into their veins and their heart beating faster.

It was then, that Keith and Lance turned to each other; their facial expressions looked enigmatic, it was a mixture of serious but calm, nervous but confident. They smirked as they nod in acknowledgement, focusing back on the lane that was in front of them. _This is it._

_“3… 2… 1….”_

_And they both grabbed hold of the last baton._

The whole stadium roared as the crowd screamed for the two runners, for both of them has caught the baton at the same time. The rest of the runners, despite the tiredness from their previous sprints, stood at the side as they cheered for their captains loudly, praying that it would be their team to cross the finishing line. Undoubtedly, the Red Lions and Blue Wolves were far in the lead from the other two teams, but were neck in neck. At this point, nobody knew who would claim victory.

They both held their baton tight as they sprinted as fast as they could. They could each feel that they were almost out of breath, but their legs wouldn’t stop running. They could feel each other’s presence, that neither of them were giving up.

_He’s fast._

They could see the white strip of ribbon in front of them at a distance. It was within their reach. Both of them ran faster, faster than ever before. It’s strange, they thought, what were they running so hard for? Was it for the trophy? The winning title? Their pride? None of those were worth it for now, except for that one burning request they have thought of as a winning bet.

To Keith and Lance, this race would change everything.

Sticking their chest out and ignoring the pull of gravity, they lunged forward.

 

 

-

“I still think that I won, my blue baton crossed the finishing line first,” Lance said for the umpteenth time, walking out of the stadium with a gold medal hanging around his neck.

“Oh please, that doesn’t mean anything. For the record, my chest touched the ribbon first,” Keith remarked, walking next to him as the gold medal around his neck glistened in the sunlight.

“So, is the bet still valid then?” Keith questioned, turning to Lance as he stopped walking in his track.

Lance stopped as well. A dry chuckle escaped from his lips, awkwardly bringing a hand to the back of his neck. “Well… we both did win the race. So it’s only fair that we both share the prize, right?”

“I guess…” Keith smiled warmly as he saw how awkward Lance’s grin was, “Should we say our request at the same time?”

“On three.”

Neither of them cared about their surroundings, except for the person in front of them. They couldn’t care less of the wind blowing against their faces, or bothered listening to rustling of the calm trees. It was strangely comfortable, strangely serene, strangely right.

As they opened their mouth, it was as though time stood very still.

“Let’s go on a date.”  
“Go out with me.”


	2. Love & Hate go hand in hand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been a week into their relationship and Lance is over the moon. Nothing could ruin his Monday blues because he got two favourite things to look forward to today; A date with Keith and Sushi.

It has been a week since Sports Day happened, or rather, Keith and Lance’s ‘confession’. Ever since they’ve started dating, Lance has been over the moon, going to school with a big grin on his face and ready to conquer anything. To him, this all still feels like a dream; everyone in Lance’s circle would’ve known that for the first couple of days, Lance would pester his friends to pinch his arms, asking them if he was really dreaming. Sometimes, he would get Hunk to do it for him, but he’d be regretting it afterwards. But aside from that, everything seemed to be real. It is happening, right here, right now.

 

Lance hauled his backpack as he strode to school, looking unusually cheerful than any college student on a Monday. Flashing smiles at every gloomy student as he walked past the hallway, barged into his class and flopped his bag on the table before he sat down gleefully. His best friend, Hunk who was sitting in front of him, tried not to judge him for his ridiculously cheerful mood since the time he stepped in class. It seemed as though everyone but Lance were suffering from the Monday blues.

 

“It’s a taboo for being this happy on a Monday, Lance. What is it this time?” Hunk propped his chin, yawning as he mentally prepared himself for Lance’s daily love story.

 

Lance gave a small smirk, beckoning Hunk towards him. Alarmed and slightly tensed, Hunk leaned closer to Lance’s desk while Lance dragged his chair forward, leaning over as well. _Why is Lance being all secretive?_ Hunk thought as he felt a weird chill down his spine.

 

“You guys didn’t do _that_ last night, did you?” Hunk whispered over the desk.

 

“What!? Of course not!” Lance backed away, waving his hands as he tried to hide his embarrassment. _I wish._

 

“Then, what is it?” Hunk questioned impatiently.

 

Lance let out a happy sigh and whispered thinly to Hunk, “We’re going out on a sushi date after class.”

 

It didn’t take seconds before books and bags were being flung towards Lance as he tried to dodge an annoyed Hunk.

 

 

-

 

“Did you tease him again, Lance?” Keith asked as he took another plate of salmon sashimi from the conveyor belt.

 

Lance looked up to Keith, his mouth already stuffed with sushi. Swallowing, he waved his hands in defense.  

 

“No, I was trying just being a nice friend by bragging to them about how I’m having a date with my boyfriend that’s all.”

 

Keith shook his head, but smiled afterwards as he took another bite of his California roll. He gazed over at the brownette who was now acting like a little kid, hands gripping onto the bars tight as his eyes fixed onto the conveyor belt watching the wide variety of sushi plates moved past them. Keith chuckled, for he didn’t mind seeing Lance like this. He loved seeing how comfortable Lance usually acts in front of him. It somewhat gave him a peace of mind, that everything seemed to be falling into place.

 

“So… how’s your running record going?” Lance asked as he grabbed two more salmon sushi plates with his hands; one hand in each.

 

Keith played with his saucer, looking baffled that Lance could still eat that much sushi while he felt like he could throw up if he ate another piece of sushi.

_Wouldn’t he get sick after eating 8 plates of salmon sushi?_

Keith thought with a smile, he was half thankful that he decided to bring Lance to a sushi bar on their first date. He felt this sense of accomplishment that he managed to open a new world to Lance. Keith loves sushi ever since he was a little; he was worried that Lance wouldn’t find this idea of eating raw fish wrapped in rice and seaweed, and dipping it in soya sauce to be that appetizing. But boy was Keith wrong. He could still remember that bewildered look on Lance’s face when Keith placed a plate of salmon sushi in front of him, and showing him how to eat them. What impressed Keith was the fact that Lance did not hesitate to eat this unfamiliar dish that Keith tried to introduce to him. That unforgettable look on Lance’s face when he took his first bite of raw salmon; amazed and confused as he chewed. Ever since then, Lance grew a liking towards sushi and started trying different kinds of them too. Indeed, there was something new that Keith learned about Lance- that he was open to learn and try new things. Keith wished he could be as fearless as Lance. It was a trait that Keith grew to _love._

 

“Hmmm… it was alright I guess. Breaking my previous record is actually harder than I thought. Got to prep more before we get too busy with finals… How’s yours going?”

 

“Pretty good,” Lance replied as he stuffed another sushi in his mouth. “Though I still couldn’t get past the 1.95m mark, which is annoying the heck out of me. Might get drilled by Coach again next week, so if you see me running and skipping around the field again, it’s his fault. And also, have you heard of the------”

 

Sure, Keith has always been the quiet one in the relationship, since he’s more of the listener anyway. Nor did Lance mind that he’d be doing most of the talking. But that’s what Lance grew to _love_ about Keith; he always knew what to say when it’s needed, although most of the time, he would end up doing silly and dumb things. Lance also knew for a fact that Keith was never the type of person who would show affection explicitly regardless if it’s through words or actions. As much as Lance hoped that Keith would be initiating it one day, it’s not something that Lance would be concerned about. He _loves_ seeing Keith all flustered and tensed up whenever Lance tried holding his hand, or whenever Lance hinted him by calling ‘babe’. It never bothered Lance, that Keith has never said a word of affection to him since they started dating, because he knew that it takes quite a while for Keith to open up to him completely. And that made Lance _love_ him even more.

 

Keith signaled the waiter to count the number of plates they had on their table. Honestly, judging by the height of stacked plates, these could’ve been eaten amongst 4 people, or more. Lance and Keith could obviously see the waiter’s astonished face as he counted, passing the bill to Keith without trying to look judgmental. Reaching for their pockets, Lance and Keith simultaneously slammed their cards onto the counter; frowning, they threw a look at each other.

 

“It’s alright, babe, I got this,” Lance pointed his card, giving a frivolous smirk.

 

“Nah nah, I got it,” Keith smugged, slightly pushing Lance’s card away.

 

Lance pushed Keith’s face, while slamming his card on top of Keith’s, “No, Keith. I got it.”

 

“No, Lance. I got it,” Keith kicked Lance’s legs, pushing his hands aside and slammed his card down.

 

“Stop arguing, Keith!” Lance strangled Keith’s neck, taking advantage of his height.

 

“Stop being stubborn!” Keith tripped Lance’s ankle, throwing him down the floor and landed on top of him with his own body.  

 

Before the waiter behind the counter could react by peeking down at the floor, she saw a pair of hands creeping up the counter, each holding a card.

 

“I’M PAYING!”

 

 

-

 

“Can’t believe you used your Taekwondo skills on me in front of that lady.” Lance winced, massaging his back. “It hurts my man pride.”

 

“Well that’s because you’re being an ass and insisted on paying,” Keith sneered, folding his arms.

 

Lance stuck out his tongue, before turning his face away from Keith, not backing down by Keith’s remark. But he small grin could be seen on his face as he continued strolling; deep down, Lance enjoys having such petty and childish arguments with Keith. It’s something that Lance is thankful for that _this_ love-hate relationship between them hasn’t changed even after they got together. Lance is surprised that their competitive personalities hasn’t turned to hate, but rather grew on their love instead. He silently giggled at their childishness back at the restaurant; another to add onto his treasured memories. _Love is really strange._

 

They walked down the quiet streets of Chinatown in comfortable silence. The streets were filled with many small shop houses that sells all sorts of things- from sweets and antiques to weird, quirky items and clothing. Keith enjoys walking through these alleys, and surprisingly, he didn’t think Lance would be that intrigued at this totally different cultural experience. It gives Keith a sense of relief that Lance is indeed a person who’s curious in learning the different cultures around the world; and this could be the start.   

 

It did not take long for Lance to break the comfortable silence, “Thank you for introducing me to this place by the way. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have figured out that this place actually existed.”

 

Smiling, Lance walked up further and admired the unique decorations at the different shop houses. Keith watches Lance as he peeked through the glass, fascinated at the quirky dolls and figurines. Things that could only be seen in the streets of Chinatown.

 

Keith stood at the side, chuckling at the sight of how Lance would always act as though he’s at an amusement park. _We should go there during their next semester break._ Abruptly, Lance turned back to face Keith, making him jolt a little. A warm smile crept up his lips as Lance walked up to Keith and without hesitation gave a quick peck on the lips.

 

It probably took Keith 3 seconds to give a proper reaction, and this made Lance giggle at the embarrassed black haired.

 

“Surprised?” Lance taunted. That smirk on his face could mean many different things; one of which obviously describes the satisfaction of his own actions.

 

“N-no.” Keith answered in denial, clearly flustered at Lance’s bold move. “And what are you talking about, I-I can do that too.” His cheeks has gotten redder by the minute.

 

Laughing, Lance patted his chest lightly, “Oh ho, sure you do. You should learn from me sometimes, Keith. We gotta initiate.”

 

Without hearing his reply, Lance grabbed Keith’s hand and dragged him as they continued walking down the alley.

 

“C’mon now, we gotta try all this food before we head back home.” Lance beamed and his head swiftly looked left and right, looking at the wide variety of street food this endless alley has got to offer.

 

Keith was still at a loss, but rather willingly let the brownette in front of him drag to the stalls he’s eager to eat despite all those plates of sushi they just ate. Keith glimpsed at the back of Lance head, trying to disperse his inner thoughts slowly creeping into his subconscious.

 

“Aren’t you full from all that sushi? You ate more than 12 plates on your own.” Keith said sarcastically.

 

Lance held a finger up in the air as he continued dragging his confused boyfriend tailing behind him.

“Nope! With Lance Charles Mcclain, the word ‘full’ doesn’t exist.”

 

Lance whipped around, showing his cheeky smile, before getting himself distracted at the food stalls again. Keith wondered if that smile has made him love or hate Lance even more; perhaps he would never know.

 

What Keith knows though, was that he’s happy- truly happy in fact. Except that there’s that tiny fear in him which has been bugging him since a week ago, but it’s probably much more prominent now. A wan smile spread across his face as he lets _this_ uneasy feeling slowly consume him. Keith was half thankful that Lance was too mesmerized to notice.  

 

Lance let go of Keith hand and ran up to a mini crossroad which one of the signs pointed to another section of Chinatown. His eyes sparkled at the mere sight of countless stalls down the next alley. He looked up and waved at Keith, who seemed to be dazing off.

 

“Keithhhh let’s go! You’re too slow! Loser has to buy a smoothieee”

 

“Yea…” Keith forced a smile before walking up to join him,

 

“Coming.”

 

 

-

 

Keith lied down on the bed with a frown on his face. He’s been pondering about _this_ ever since he came back home from their date. _What does Lance mean by initiate?_ As far as Keith is concerned, this is his first ever proper relationship; and he’s serious about it. About them. The only problem is, that Keith is unsure about how relationship actually works, or rather, how couples are supposed to act. According to Keith’s knowledge, Lance has been through plenty of relationships; some that lasted for months while some lasted for only a week tops. Nevertheless, Keith knows of course, how confident and expressive Lance is as a person. A trait that Keith has admired for ever since he has set eyes on him during that very first Track  & Field practice. On the other hand, Keith has never deemed himself as an all-rounder. Heck, Keith knew he would never have the courage to kiss Lance like that in public.

_I can do that too? Yea right, loser._

Keith sighed and closed his eyes, trying to drown himself in silence. In a matter of seconds, there was stillness in the room, except for the whirring noise coming from the air-conditioner. Keith continued to lay motionless, tired from all the walking, yet his thoughts wouldn’t stop giving coming up with unhelpful and useless presumptions. Fear grew when that same line of thought crossed his mind for the billionth time then.

 

_Could Lance be slowly getting tired of me? Of us?_

 

A loud groan echoed through the room as Keith threw a pillow up in the air, not caring that it plopped back onto his face. He sighed as he tried to get rid of such thoughts, knowing well enough that the person Keith’s dating isn’t that kind of person. One thing’s for sure, Keith thought to himself, that relationships would only work if both parties have put in the effort; and Keith is _really_ trying. But does Lance see it? Is this enough? Keith hated himself for being too much of an amateur in relationships. What does Lance see in him anyway? _That he himself doesn’t know how to express affection to someone else? Of course!_ If Lance is serious about this relationship, Keith needs to do the same.

 

The wall clock continues to tick as the room falls to a dead silence; and after much pondering and hesitation, Keith grabbed his phone from the bedside table and dialed a number.

 

 

“Hello?”

 

 

“Hey, it’s me. Are you free tomorrow afternoon?”

 

 

-

  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> /that was a bad summary/
> 
> First of all, HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!! :D 
> 
> I'm ashamed to be uploading only Chapter 2 in 2017 ;; Really do apologise for the super late update, I have no excuses. BUT! I'm determined to be writing and uploading more fics (not just Klance) this year! So do bear with me as I attempt to be more consistent and less of a procrastinator :")
> 
> This chapter was honestly pretty tough to write because I really wanted to portray realistic feelings and emotions for Lance and Keith. I do hope that this has given you an insight to what a typical date of Klance is like, especially when they're pretty new and fresh to this whole relationship. 
> 
> The next chapter has more deep stuff because of Keith's insecurity in the relationship, so I do hope you look forward to that! 
> 
> Comments are most welcome as usual!


	3. Before Heaven comes Hell

Lance stood at their _usual_ place, carrying his bag on one shoulder as he eagerly waited for Keith to finish his classes for the day. Although they were in different classes, they did try to accommodate to each other’s schedules. In this case, their last class would usually end at a similar time on Tuesdays. It’s the only time where both of them could spend some time after school before heading home. Tuesdays are their only ‘free day’, since their other days would be packed with either evening classes or Track and Field practices. But it’s fine, Lance thought to himself. This was enough. He shouldn’t be all that greedy, it is college after all. And especially with Track and Field practices taking up most of their weekdays, accommodating time for each other is something Lance has been very thankful for. Of course, knowing Keith, he’d enjoy spending his spare time either in the library or the gym; two of Lance’s least favourite things to do. He would rather go café hoping, catch a movie, or to chill basically.

It was a quarter past two, and Keith still hasn’t showed up. Lance looked at his watch with a slight frown on his face.

_He should have been done half an hour ago, where is he?_

Lance yawned as he got up from the bench, stretching his arms and legs; he looked around, feeling that tinge of boredom. Being the typical impatient Lance Charles Mcclain, he leisurely walked around the school’s stadium, passing by a carpark. Whilst trying to kill time, Lance noticed two shadows in an empty and deserted carpark. He could also hear soft muffled voices echoing through this large, open space. Lance silently giggled to himself.

_A serious talk in a carpark aye. Pfft, what is this? A new mafia hangout._

Chuckling, he mentally took note of this; he should share this lame, cold joke to Keith later. Lance shrugged as he continued walking further into the carpark, planning on hitching in on these random strangers’ conversation as a joke. The further he walked in, he saw two figures standing at one of the pillars in the carpark. And it was then, that Lance saw a hint of red and white at the sleeves of a jacket. An awfully familiar combination of colors that he knew all too well.

_This is strange._

Curiosity got the best of him as Lance stealthily walked closer to the pillar, trying not to gain any attention now. This was not some mafia hangout alright. Creeping closer, he saw a slender and fit figure leaning against a wall with his arms crossed, and another who’s tall and much bulkier-looking standing next to him. Lance peeked further from his hiding spot, trying to get a better glimpse of that suspicious but familiar looking jacket. Lance saw dark hair, styled like a mullet; and features becoming more recognizable to the point where Lance, himself, couldn’t deny his guesses any longer. Apart from that distinct facial features, there’s only one person with that mullet and a red jacket in school. Keith Kogane.

His subconscious were giving red warning signals at this point. But Lance couldn’t turn back now. He needed to know what Keith was doing in a carpark when he should be meeting Lance instead.

_What is Keith doing?_

A million questions flooded his mind as he sneaked closer to the pillar Keith stood at. Lance hid 2 pillars behind them, peaking out to look at who Keith was talking to. Keith had his back facing Lance’s side, which he was relieved for. Lance squinted his eyes, trying to identify who the person Keith was talking to is- a firm built, muscular figure, wearing a black long sleeved top. An undercut with a signature white fringe. Lance immediately recognized who he was- Shirogane Takashi, captain of the football team and a full-fledged scholarship student.

Everyone in school admired Shiro, even Lance.

_What the heck is going on?_

With Keith having his back faced towards Lance, he couldn't figure out Keith’s expression. But from the looks of it, they looked like they were in a deep conversation. A serious one at that. It was then that Lance saw Shiro putting a hand on Keith shoulder, smiling at him. Lance felt a tug in his heart.

Lance noticed Keith’s back was shaking and was surprised to see Keith and Shiro immerse in a man hug. Lance unconsciously clenched his fist. _I don’t like this. I hate this feeling._ Before Lance could react any further, Keith started to make his way in Lance’s direction. Alarmed, Lance bolted back out of the carpark and ran back to the benches, to avoid being caught. He was sure Keith would be making his way there any minute.

Lance was starting to hate this, but tried concealing his expression. He definitely didn’t want to start another pointless argument when all he wanted was to spend time with his boyfriend.

_There’s nothing to worry about… right?_

He saw Keith walking out from the carpark seconds later after that; he saw Lance and gave a smile on his face, waving at him. Lance waved back, but he could never get rid of this uneasiness in his heart.

 

\-     

“Lance…. Lanceeeeee.” a spoon was waved around his face.

“Huh, what is it?” Lance looked up at Keith questioningly, picking his food with his fork.

“I’ve been asking you the same question 3 times and you haven't answered me,” Keith asked, his eyes narrowing back at him, pointing to the plate laid in front of Lance afterwards.

“And, you’ve been picking on that chicken for quite a while now.”

“I’m just not hungry.” Lance smiled wryly. 

Keith’s expression darkened, knowing that there was something bothering Lance, but seemed unwilling to share. “Is something wrong?”

“Nothing nothing! Why would you think of that?”

“Well, you’ve been quiet all this time during lunch. That could only mean two things: one, you must’ve gotten a bad grade or two, you’re too busy thinking about something. And I believe it’s the latter,” Keith told Lance as a matter of fact.

He knew that it’s never in Lance’s nature to be able to stay silent for more than 5 minutes. If anything more than that, he’s bothered by something, or someone. Keith was more determined to pry it out of Lance now.

“Do you wanna talk about—”

“Ahhhh I’m full! Come on Keith, let’s go play some arcade games before we head home!” Lance jumped out of his seat and pulled Keith out of his seat before he could even finish his sentence.

Keith stared at the brownette in front of him, letting him be dragged out of the restaurant, maneuvering past the tables and waiters. Keith sighed, knowing Lance won’t budge in telling him anything. How is he going to try out his new tactic if Lance wouldn’t even continue their conversation? Demoralized, he guessed he wouldn’t be able to use it today. But really, Lance was acting unusually strange.

_I hate it when you’re acting okay…_

-

The days seemed to have passed by normally, but Lance couldn’t seem to stop thinking about _that_ day. And it wasn’t like Lance to confront Keith straight away, because he, himself, didn’t know what was stopping him.

Was he scared? Scared that this confrontation might ruin their relationship? Scared that his fears might come true? Scared that Keith would be frustrated and leave him?

And it didn’t help that Keith hasn’t said anything about it for 3 days now. That irked him even more. Lance disliked how Keith acted fine in front of him although Lance has tried to somewhat indirectly probe him with questions. The answers he has gotten were either a “No, everything’s fine.” Or a “It’s nothing, Lance. Don’t worry.”

He trusted Keith, of course! But Lance just didn’t like this idea of Keith hiding something from him.

_Does he not trust me enough?_

With mid-semester exams just around the corner, they haven’t spent much time together like they used to, well, aside from the weekly Track & Field trainings. As much as they called each other almost every other day, it didn’t help that there was some sort of weird vibe going on. Or rather, both of them sounded like they had something to say, but neither of them yet to speak up.

Lance flopped back onto his bed with a loud sigh. He looked at his phone, hoping to get something from Keith- a text, a call, anything would do! But nothing.

 _Nothing_.

If Keith was that unwilling to talk, there’s nothing Lance could do then. Mentally and emotionally defeated, Lance turned off his phone and closed his eyes, hoping his dreams would take him away from reality.

 

- 

“So what’s up with you and Keith? You two have been acting… weird lately,” Pidge questioned as she tapped her fingers on the table.

Alarmed, Lance looked up to Pidge, who was sitting in front of him. It didn’t surprise him actually; Pidge was a very observant person after all.

“Too quiet if you ask me,” Hunk added before taking another bite of his sandwich. “Have you seen him around in school today?”

“No idea, he was supposed to finish his lecture 15 minutes ago.” Lance looked at his watch, sighing for the nth time today.

Keith has been coming late for their daily lunch gatherings and study groups recently. He understood that Keith has had quite a huge workload on his hands at the moment. But Lance was growing more suspicious about this “assumption” of his. He looked down on his bowl of chicken salad, starting to have less of an appetite.

“He hasn’t replied to my text either.”

Pidge arched an eyebrow, “Wow, harsh. Someone must be giving you the cold shoulder. What annoying thing did you do this time, Lance?”

“Whoa whoa, I didn’t do anything!” Lance held his hands up defensively. “More like he has been keeping something from me, and I still don’t know what that is,” he mumbled under his breath, propping his chin on one hand.

“I mean, he can’t possibly be avoiding you unless you’ve made him really really angry. But that’s what you’ve always been doing. So that can’t be the reason why,” Hunk said in protest. “It’s not like Keith is cheating on you with someone else, I mean—”

It took Pidge several nudges and a threatening glare to get Hunk to stop blabbering, or perhaps unintentionally adding fuel to the fire. She secretly glanced at Lance, who looked more disturbed and distracted than ever. _Dammit, he doesn’t look happy now._

Thinking of a way to appease this weird and tense atmosphere, Pidge smiled, “Don’t worry about it, Lance. There’s nothing for you to worry about. You trust him, don’t you? Let’s grab ice cream before we head back to class.”

“I’m good, not hungry anymore, Pidge, Thanks. Talk to you guys after class,” Lance smiled slightly, pushing his tray away from him before leaving.

“Nice move, Hunk. You’ve done it this time,” Pidge sulked.

 

-

Storming through the halls, Keith walked briskly with his backpack lugged on his shoulder. He didn’t know why he was feeling over the edge today.

Today was just not his day. His day started off swell when he misplaced his assignment which he could’ve sworn he placed it in his bag the night before. Then came lab when he spilled most of the solution which _still_ contained the precipitates he needed to isolate for his experiment. And next thing he knew, he has missed his lunch and there he was, frantically trying to get to the food hub without bumping into anyone for the 4th time.

His thoughts were all over the place, but it would always wound up back to Lance. Keith knew he hasn’t replied to Lance’s texts since he was too busy with his screwed up experiment; but he has been meaning to talk to Lance face-to-face. He hated this weird and awkward atmosphere between them recently, yet he didn’t know why it has happened this way. Keith reminded himself that he should text Lance to wait up for him after class to have a talk.

Keith speedily turned a corner but before he could react, he collided with another person _again._

_This is so not my day._

“Sorry about that,” Keith said monotonously, not bothering to look up at the person he knocked into. _It must be the same annoyed face just like the other three I’ve bumped into anyway._  

His thoughts were abruptly interrupted when he heard a familiar voice calling for him, “Keith?”

Startled, Keith looked up to see Lance in front of him.

_Crap. You’ve done it this time, Keith Kogane._

“Hey”

“…Hey…” _What is this awkwardness, Keith. Stop it._

“You alright, Keith? You look stressed,” Lance asked, his face etched with concern.

“Nahhh… just having a pretty rough day,” Keith replied, trying to sound as though he had everything under control.

“Is there anything you wanna talk about?”

“No, I don’t think so?”

“Well for starters, you’ve not been replying to my texts today. I was worried about you.”

“Lance, I told you, I messed up my assignment and I—”

“And you’ve been acting all strange and suspicious too.”

“I’ve just been pretty busy lately, okay.” Keith sighed, unwilling to look at Lance in the eye.

“Why do you sound angry at me, Kei—”

And unconsciously, Keith snapped, “I’m not angry!”

Taken aback by Keith’s sudden rage, Lance rebutted, “Well someone is clearly lying to himself because he just raised his damn voice at me!”

“That’s because you were jumping to conclusions!”

“How can I not!? You’re the one who’s been keeping me in the dark! Aren’t I supposed to be that someone you should lean on and not him?”

Gutted, Keith didn’t know if he should be annoyed or confused at what he’s hearing then.

“W-what? What are you talking about?”

“I don’t know, you tell me!” Lance raised his voice even louder now.

“Lance, calm down. You’re overreacting.”

“Oh, am I now? I’ve seen it with my own two eyes and if you have any problems, you could’ve just told me instead of being an asshole and doing stuff behind the boyfriend’s back!”

“What the fuck, Lance? What are you on about!?” Keith tried to grab a hold of Lance’s hand; but without thinking twice, Lance slapped his hand away.

Neither Keith nor Lance realized that they’ve been raising their voices in the middle of the hallway. By the looks of it, none of them were backing down.

“Don’t you think of me as your boyfriend!?”

“But it’s none of your concern!”

Before Keith realized what he just said, it was too late.

That sentence was like a slap to Lance’s face. He didn’t think that simple of a sentence could hurt him that much. It hurt, it stung. His head hung low and he muttered so softly he didn’t care if Keith could hear what he said.

“Fine… I guess I’m not that someone you would talk to then. See ya,” Without waiting for a response, Lance walked off.

Seeing Lance walk away made Keith powerless. He couldn’t even chase after him to explain himself, that what he said wasn’t intentional, rather, it was because he has been trying to find the right moment in expressing his deepest feelings to Lance. This outcome was definitely not what Keith was expecting.  

_Fuck, you’ve really done it now, Keith._

-

It was Track and Field practice the next day, and Lance promptly arrived at the stadium _alone._ It was weird because Keith would always go to practice together with him. He wasn’t looking forward to practice at all; all he wanted was to go home and not talk to anyone. He let out a loud sigh as he got changed before heading out to the field.

“Right guys, we’ll be doing a special warm up today. Since it’s a cooling weather, we’re gonna run up to the top of the hill near our campus. So get ready to sweat!” the captain of the Track and Field shouted.

There were mixed reactions coming from the crowd of athlete members; some were excited while some dreaded the thought of running up a steep hill that would take hours to get to the top. As Lance looked around, he caught sight of a familiar looking mullet at the far end of the crowd. Keith was looking at the ground for most of the time, but it was enough for Lance to figure out that he was just as unmotivated as he was. Lance felt a tug in his heart. As much as he wished to be by his side, part of him just didn’t want to be in an awkward situation; especially since he was the one who abruptly walked out on him the other day.

The whistle blew and the group of athletes ran up the hill in unison. Lance jogged in a stable pace, trying to maintain his stamina until he have reached the top. Looking at the group of people in front of him, Lance thought back to those sessions where he and Keith would run around the field after practice to build up on their stamina; or rather, Lance’s. Lance knew Keith had an amazing stamina to begin with, which wasn’t surprising because Lance would be gasping for air after 4 rounds while Keith was still up and running fine.

A small smile crept up on his face. He loved training with Keith, although, he wouldn’t mind staring at Keith’s muscles all day. He loved it whenever Keith unleashed his strict and sporty side, pestering Lance to keep on running even if it meant dragging his worn-out body. Lance loved it that whenever practice was over, Keith would show his subtle affection by handing Lance an extra towel or fretting over if he has pushed him too hard during the run. It wasn’t much, but Lance still loved it nevertheless.

His strides have gotten more powerful by the time he started running up the steep hill, still maintaining his pace as he gradually passed most of the runners who were starting to fall behind the group.

It was close to sunset, and Lance finally reached the top of the hill after 30 minutes. He slowed down as he tried to catch his breath. Lance turned to look at the view and he was in awe; the scenery was breathtaking. It was as though he could overlook the entire city of Irvine, California. Lance took in a deep breath, satisfied that he has ran faster than expected.

 _They might take a while,_ Lance thought with a cheeky smile. He looked around, trying to find a suitable spot to admire the view when he saw a familiar looking figure wearing a familiar looking top and of course, that familiar looking sports shoe. Lance arched an eyebrow, surprised to see him sitting down at the edge of the hilltop and staring into the vast open space. Lance stood at the side, admiring the sight; how majestic he looked with the setting sun. 

It didn’t take him 3 seconds before he mindlessly walked over to him, with no contemplation of what to say. Soon, he was already standing next to him. Unconsciously, Lance opened his mouth first.

“Hey.”

“...Hey”

“You look like you’ve been here for a while,” Lance said as he sat next to him.

Keith gave a smug smile, trying to avoid any forms of eye contact. “Well, you guys took a pretty long time to get here. I figured I could enjoy the view while I wait.”

Lance watched Keith as he continued to face the view; his face enigmatic as always. Not even Lance, himself, could tell what Keith was thinking. He wanted to say something, but his mouth wouldn’t open. He wanted to grab his hands, but he didn’t have the courage to do it. He wanted to leave, but his body wouldn’t allow him. He could only nod wistfully, looking back at the view in front of him.

“I see.”

A dead silence fell like a curtain, and Lance could’ve sworn he was about to drown in awkwardness. Fortunately enough, Keith broke the silence between them, “I’m sorry about what I’ve said yesterday.”  

Looking up, Lance was surprised that Keith started the conversation first. He gave a wan smile as he shook his head in disagreement, “No, I should be sorry too. I shouldn’t have lashed out on you like that.”

Keith’s face grew more grim, his eyes looking straight at Lance’s, “No, it was my fault in the first place. I should’ve been more upfront with you when this whole thing started.”

“What do you mean?” Lance looked at him, confused. “Didn’t you have a thing for Shiro? That’s why you’ve been meeting him often?”

Blinking his eyes, Keith tried to let that sentence sink in. Lance on the other hand, darted his eyes, not willing to look at Keith’s reaction, nor was he willing to hear what Keith would say next. _What if it’s really true? Is Keith really going to leave me then?_ But his train of thoughts were interrupted when he heard a soft chuckle next to him. Baffled, Lance turned to his left, seeing Keith putting his hands on his stomach as his chuckles grew louder, laughing away.

“You’re really a simpleton, Lance,” Keith laughed uncontrollably.

Lance couldn’t catch Keith’s drift. Flustered, Lance stood up. “What’s so funny?! This is not something you should laugh about, Keith.”

Keith heaved a sigh of relief; relieved, not only because Keith finally understood why Lance was so uptight, but rather, it showed how much Lance _still_ loves him. Keith stood up as well, facing him. “That wasn’t the reason why I’ve been meeting up with Shiro.”

“What do you mean?” Lance questioned curiously. Nothing made sense to Lance now. But seeing Keith so relaxed, Lance second guessed that this could be all a misunderstanding; something he shouldn’t have been worried about in the first place.

“The whole reason why I have been meeting up with Shiro was because I needed some relationship advice, y-you know… us.” Keith rubbed his neck with his hand as he tried not to mumble through his words.

“I felt that I wasn’t being a great partner towards you since we’ve started dating. As much as I know that you’ve been the one initiating most of the time, I felt like I wasn’t doing my part as a boyfriend.”

Lance’s face softened as he listened to Keith. It must’ve taken him lots of courage to seek Shiro for advice. He felt a tad bit guilty for accusing Keith without any sort of clarification or explanation. But on the other hand, this might be a good thing for both of them after all, especially for Lance. He responded by nodding at Keith, letting him continue.

A small smile crept up Keith’s face. Feeling more confident, he continued, “I’ve never been great at relationships in the first place, but I really wanted us to work. It’s never in my nature to show affection towards others, you know that. But I know it’s unfair for you… yet I feel as though I’m receiving more love from you every day. I hated myself for being this kind of person, and sometimes I tell myself that I don’t ever deserve your love.”

Lance looked at him and something broke in him. He tried to not show it, but he couldn’t find the right words to answer.

“Keith…”

Keith smiled wryly as he slowly walked up to Lance, gently holding his hands. Startled by Keith’s sudden gesture, Lance’s cheek grew a rosy shade of pink; his heart started beating rapidly. _This_ has never happened before, what more was Keith being the one to initiate such a huge action. Keith has never done this much to make his heart jump. Embarrassed, Lance looked down onto the ground, somewhat nervous of what Keith would do next.

Keith, on the other hand, was amazed at how shy and timid Lance looked right now. This side of Lance was something new to him. In fact, Keith found it cute, very different from the loud and fearless Lance he has _already_ grown to love. He was determined to see more of this in the future, Keith made a mental note to himself.

“Lance…Look at me.”

Lance shyly raised his head and was struck by the unusual grey orbs in Keith’s eyes. There was a slight glimmer in them; eyes that reflect hope, determination, and _love._ Warmth started to fill Lance’s heart, and he smiled.

“I was afraid that if this continues, you might be tired of this relationship. But know that I’m just as serious about this as you are. I want you to see that you’re not the only one keeping this relationship together. That’s why I figured that asking Shiro for some advice would help me be a better boyfriend. But I guess that failed, huh,” Keith said as his expression darkened. 

Lance shook his head, taking Keith’s hand and held it to his heart. He stared into his eyes and said softly, “Remember that day when we sorta asked each other out? I wouldn’t have said that if I haven’t already accepted the person you are, Keith. You have your own ways of showing affection, and that’s what I love about you. The fact that you’re trying so hard to change for me makes me feel special. I’m one lucky guy to be receiving this kind of love from you. Thank you...”

Keith could feel Lance’s heartbeat against his hand. It was beating quite fast, but it slowed down after awhile. He took a deep breath, meeting Lance’s gaze. “I know I can never be the perfect boyfriend, and I have a lot to learn. But I am trying. I want you to confide in me when you’re troubled. I want to be that person whom you can share your joys, sadness and anger with. I want to embrace your flaws as much as your strengths. That’s how much you mean to me, Lance.”

The words he wanted to say were all jumbled in his head, nor was he able to formulate any words to express how he’s truly feeling. But nevertheless, Keith’s words moved him deeply. A soft chuckle escaped Lance’s lips as he opened his arms wide. _There was no need for words,_ Lance thought with a wide smile spreading across his lips, trying to hide a tear that was secretly shed.

Within seconds, Lance could feel a pair of arms wrapped around his neck, body pressed onto his, head buried near his neck. _This was enough of an answer._

"사랑해"1

Lance’s eyes widened as he shot up to look at Keith, “What’s that?”

“Y-you should know what it is.” Keith look away in embarrassment.

Lance observed the sheepish black haired who was trying to avoid eye contact; Lance continued staring at him with a puzzled look on his face.

It was then that Keith opened his mouth again, his voice soft but genuine, “You’ve been wanting me to say it, so I thought it would sound cooler if I said it in Korean.”

Upon hearing that, something swelled with warmth in Lance’s heart. He tried to speak, but he couldn’t find the right words for it; he wanted to respond with action, but his body wouldn’t cooperate either. Unknowingly, a tear slid down his cheek. Lance finally understood what he meant.

Through teary eyes, Lance watched the horizon where both of them stood. It had the perfect view of the sun dipping behind the crest of the mountains and the skies donned in pink. A beautiful sunset welcomed them with a calming wind.

“You’re such a crybaby,” Keith’s words were muffled against Lance’s neck.

Stroking Keith’s hair, Lance leaned onto his head, closing his eyes as he embraced the cool breeze that blew.

“Pfft. I love you too.”

 - 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter ended up longer than I thought, but, I really enjoyed writing this chapter! This has got to be one of my faves. 
> 
> Translation notes:
> 
>  
> 
> "사랑해"- I love you1
> 
>  
> 
> Again, Thank you so so much for reading despite the very lag updates! 
> 
> Let me know what you think! Comments are more than welcome.


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